Guys! You're not gonna believe what just happened! I met a real life Necromancer and he decided to resurrect me AND this Fanfiction!
Joking aside, I'm not dead and neither is this fanfiction. It's just been literal hell over these last few months and I sort of lost interest during that time. My love of Persona woke up from it's two month slumber and coursed through my body at an alarming speed. I've been REBORN!
Anyway, it's been 2 months in the making and dammit, I'm gonna reveal his persona in this chapter or so help me, I return back to my coffin.
Makoto woke up still relatively fatigued and sore from the previous night's escapades, though it would not stop her from going to class as per usual. About midway into the day, nearing lunch time, she got a request from Ann to meet in the Student Council Office. She was anxious, as Ann up to this point had been nothing but rude to her, understandably so in their circumstance.
She walked into the room and noticed Ann sitting already. She beckoned Makoto to sit opposite from her.
Ann started the conversation, "I'm sorry for asking you here like this."
"Oh, it's really no problem... I actually find it refreshing when I'm the one called to the student council room. Though, it doesn't stop me from being nervous as to why." Makoto gave a courteous smile.
Ann turned away nervously, "...I'm actually a bit nervous myself."
Makoto looked curious, "Hm?"
Ann got up as if she was determined to say something she's put a lot of though into. She clenched her fist to her chest and looked over to Makoto nervously, "I want to apologize! I'm... I'm really sorry, for everything. I've been a total jerk without considering what you were going through and I'm sorry!"
Makoto's eyes widened, "What do you mean?!" Her reaction to the apology spoke volumes about her experience with them. She never really got serious apologies from her sister, no matter if she treated her poorly.
"You know how I blamed you for how Kamoshida treated me and the other girls. I want to apologize for that... I've been wanting to for a while now."
Makoto was touched, "Ann..."
"I realize that Shiho, my BEST friend was calling out for me and I did nothing to help her... I used you as a scapegoat for my own guilt and for that, I'm truly sorry." Ann bowed.
Makoto smiled, "Hey, there's no need for that. In fact, I think we're more in common than we realize."
"Huh?" Ann's expression went from apologetic to curious.
"I had the ability to help your friend and I did nothing as well. I've been so focused on getting a college recommendation and being like my sister that I forgot what makes me, ME. I told myself that I was only following orders, but it was just a lie... I was simply convincing myself that I was worth something if I had someone to blame... That fear of worthlessness is why I blackmailed you all... I'm the one who should be apologizing!"
Both girls had tears welling up in their eyes. The conversation was an emotional and refreshing one; one that would cement their friendship going forward.
Ann smiled so brightly, it lightened the mood, "So then, let's call it even!"
Makoto looked surprised that Ann would be so casual with such a serious subject, "Huh?" But then she realized that it was her way of putting things behind them and going forward. "You're right!" she chuckled, "How about we put this behind us, and go forward from here?"
Ann beamed, "Mm-hm!" She sat back down, "Oh, and one more thing."
"Yes?"
"You're not useless!" Ann exclaimed, causing Makoto's eyes to widen in astonishment. "Do you even know how totally smart and beautiful you are? Sure, you were seriously reckless yesterday, but you wanted to do the right thing and you were willing so sacrifice yourself for that! Not to mention you got us into Takuya's brother's palace!"
Makoto chuckled, "That way of thinking is soo you, isn't it. When you confronted me about Shiho, I realized how dishonest and small I was. If it wasn't for you being so direct with me, I don't think I would've found the error of my ways." She smiled, "Turns out, I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes!"
The two laughed together, letting the bad vibes fly away.
"Say, Ann? Can we be friends?" Makoto said nervously.
"Friends? You're saying that like we aren't already!" Ann laughed.
"How about we um.. hang out sometime after school?"
"We should go shopping! Takuya owes me a dress anyway, and after we stop his brother, we could extort him for cute clothes!" Ann was excited by the prospect.
Makoto too, looked excited, "Sounds perfect!" she looked determined, "We need to stop him, for ours and Takuya's sake."
"Right!" Ann and Makoto nodded their heads.
After a big hug, the two spit up, heading to their respective class.
After school got out for the day, the Phantom Thieves met on the overpass near Shibuya Square.
Makoto sighed, "I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I'd end up helping the Phantom Thieves. Things would get interesting if my sister found out."
"That's great and all, but why am I here again? I don't have super powers like you guys do." Takuya remarked, his right hand on his hip.
"You're still our target's brother, which might help reach his treasure more easily. Not to mention you've shown you spirit of rebellion in the metaverse, which means you've got a persona too." Morgana answered.
Takuya looked over to the others, "Does this ever get easier, talking to a kitty cat and all?"
"Never.." Akira said.
"Nope." Ann answered swiftly.
Morgana looked annoyed, "I am most certainly not a Kitty Cat! Lady Ann was joking, talking to me is a requirement if you want to be a phantom thief. Do you even know about the Metaverse or how to be a thief?"
"Absolutely 100% nothing." Takuya replied.
"Actually, I had a few questions if you don't mind answering them." Makoto interjected. "I want to understand what it means to be a Phantom thief and the other world."
"Simply put, that world it entirely formed of a person's cognition. There, you can change hearts." Yusuke answered.
"I've gathered that much just from going in there with you all. What eludes me is just how we get there in the first place. Where does this navigation app originate exactly."
The members of the Phantom thieves all shook their heads, except for Akira.
"That does bring up an important subject. All we know about the Navigation app is that you need: A name, a location, and a distortion. After the first entry, the location is bookmarked in the app." Yusuke told his observations.
"You really make it sound like an ordinary app.. Aren't there any dangers involved?"
Ryuji grinned, "No worries! We've been in and out of there a bunch of times and-" He was interrupted.
Makoto sighed, "That's not what I mean. What if someone could access the server with the nav history on it?"
The group looked surprised by the prospect that someone could find their nav app history.
"Did none of you seriously consider this? What about where it comes from? The app seems to have just installed itself on my phone after we left the metaverse yesterday. Do you have any ideas, Akira?"
"What if I told you that a long nosed man visits me in my sleep. Also, what if I told you that that very same man sends you all the app? Akira said as if it was nothing.
"Oddly enough, that's not the weirdest thing I've heard today." Takuya shook his head.
"Dude, I'm sayin' this as your friend. You need help!" Ryuji put his hand on Akira's shoulder.
"Anyways, I don't think we're going to have to worry about someone accessing our app history. Where ever it came from, It's extraordinarily special. I doubt that anyone could access it without our abilities." Morgana answered.
"Anyways, I'm kinda gonna die if we don't stop my brother, so can we get on that?" Takuya interrupted.
"When's our deadline again?" Morgana asked.
"July 9th is what the henchmen said." Makoto answered.
"Takuya?" Akira asked. "Are you okay with stealing your brother's heart? I know it's a lot to take in."
Takuya pumped his fist, "I've been waiting to save my brother since our parents died. My brother's a good person, he's just following a bad path right now."
Akira smiled, seeing his determination, "Alright then, let's go save him." he pat Takuya's shoulder.
The phantom thieves nodded in determination and jumped forth into the metaverse, and with Makoto's help, straight to the front door of the flying bank.
Before the group could head in to the bank through the recently established side entrance, Takuya stopped them. "I noticed each of you have a codename or something, you know? I was wondering what mine and Makoto's are."
Akira snapped his fingers, "Good question! Guys, any suggestions?"
"Makoto could be umm.. Shoulder Pads! No, Apocalypse Raider! No! ummmm..." Ryuji spitballed ideas, but no one really payed attention.
"Come on, give me something to work with." Makoto asked.
"She's like an empress!" Morgana pulled back.
"How about Queen?" Akira answered.
"Authoritative and Smart, I like it!" Takuya shook his head.
"It's not for you!" Ann exclaimed.
"I'll take it. I'm Queen, of the Phantom Thieves." Makoto smiled, proud of her new moniker.
"What about me?" Takuya asked.
Yusuke walked up to him and observed his attire through the eyes of an artistic genius. "Hmm, how about 'Technicolor Dream coat!' Such an inspiration!"
"Nope."
"How about 'Cloak?" Ann asked. "You've got a huge collar too."
"Nope, too plain." Takuya turned it down. "Hmm... What's not plain, but not too niche...? Hm..." He thought for a second and inspiration hit, "Super Star! I will be SUPER STAR!"
Ann laughed, "That actually works!"
"Speaking of that, take this..." Akira walked over and handed him a toy lever action rifle and a quarterstaff. "Here, this'll be you line of defense until you awaken your persona."
"Uhhh...?" Takuya looked confused.
"Alright guys! Time to infiltrate this damn bank!" Ryuji shouted in excitement only to be met with a collective "SHHHHH!"
A while passed as the Phantom thieves pressed on into the bank. After ambushing a few important, key holding guards, they made their way through to an elevator which revealed to them just how large and distorted Junya Kanehiro's desires actually were. Over their journey, they learned that he likes to hoard money for power sake. Every time he spends so much as 100 yen, he can't help but extort money from someone to get it back. He had been using all of Shibuya to satiate his gluttony. When the elevator landed to the next floor, they walked out and found out that to get to the treasure room, they'd have to crack several locked doors to get past. The codes ended up being the symbolism that represents his gluttony.
Seeing the state of mind his brother was in, Takuya was furious and deeply disturbed. The guy he grew up with had changed so dramatically that he was barely the same person, only sharing the same looks. He wondered what would he be like if their parents were still around and what they would think if they saw him like this.
Eventually, they cracked the last safe, or what they though was the last safe. As the door opened, the Shadow of Junya Kaneshiro appeared with several guards.
"You brats are getting on my last nerve! It's only fair that I kill each and every one of you piss-ants right now." He said angrily.
The group stopped in their tracks, getting in position for battle. Takuya walked up ahead of everyone else looking furious.
"Why are you doing this, brother?! You use to be a good person until... until we lost our parents!" Takuya shouted.
Kaneshiro's face looked blank, then he started to laugh, hysterically, "You're such an idiot! BWAHAHAHA! You don't care about me, and you for damn sure didn't care about mom or dad when they died! You just don't want to be related to a dirty, wretched yakuza family! You were always too good for us, is that it? Is that it you damn punk?!"
Takuya gritted his teeth, "You're right about one thing, I can't stand being related to you!" He started running at his brother, a fist reeled back ready to punch his face. Before he could get close, one of the might guards threw him back with a back hand punch.
"HAHAHA! See, you're an idiot! You could've tried to stop me if you had such a problem with me, but you didn't. Why? because you were too scared! Scared you might find the truth."
Takuya got up, "Truth? What truth?!"
Kaneshiro laughed, "Do you remember how our parents were killed? Such a tragedy. Though the killer was never brought to justice."
"They were assassinated. Hit by a car driven by a hired killer." He said as if it was common knowledge among him and Junya.
"Indeed, our parents were brutally slaughtered as they crossed the street by a mad man hired to kill them. It's only natural that we blame another Yakuza family or maybe the police, right?"
"What are you getting at?!" Takuya demanded.
"You see, we never truly found who killed them. We were too busy with getting me situated in my new position of power, you see." Junya said, causing Takuya's eyes to widen.
"So, you were just okay with them dying, is that it?" Takuya shouted with rage.
Junya began laughing hysterically, "I was more than okay with it dear brother, I was the one who ordered their assassination! BWAHAHAHA!"
Takuya's heart sank as every last bit of sympathy for his brother was blown away by the truth. "No..." Tears began welling up in his eyes, "I don't believe you! What could make you do something like that?!"
"That bastard!" Ryuji shouted angrily.
Takuya clenched down on his head, "I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!"
The shadow of Junya continued to laugh as his brother cried, "First you're related to the yakuza, then a murderer! It's all you've ever cared about! You just can't acknowledge the fact that you're a dirty street rat! You can't stand the stigma of being related to a gang, you worthless street rat!"
Takuya's head pounded, causing a jolt of pain to course through his body. He eyes turned a bright shade of yellow and suddenly...
My my... The truth is right in front of you, yet the sands of self righteousness blind you as you plead for a Genie in a bottle to wish away your woes. Pathetic! I don't buy that!
Takuya's head pounded even harder, causing his entire body to move and squirm in pain
By willing me here, you've shown you acknowledge the truth, not in name-sake, but in virtue. Doth thou accept yourself, not for you kin, but for thine self?
"I DO! I'm sick and tired of holding myself back because of bastards like you, brother!"
Takuya stopped squirming and slowly looked up, revealing the mask that adorned his face. It was a butterfly mask with a rainbow of colors on it. He grasped the mask, and with all of his might, he ripped it off, screaming in pain. As soon as the mask left his face, an enormous blast of energy exploded from him.
I really recommend looking at the picture on DeviantArt (shameless plug) because I am going to butcher it's description so hard!
After the blast subsided, a giant figure floated over Takuya with chains flinging and wrapping around it. The figure was, flamboyant to say the least. It had a bony mask with bladed sides. On the face was a pair of pitch black eyes with yellow glowing iris' and a wide sharp toothed smile. On it's forehead was a giant "A" and a extravagant gemstone. It's black and pink highlighted wavy hair flowed all the way down to it's feet. The collar of it's coat was fluffy, running down to it's feet. It was adorned with a star and heart flashing like a neon sign. Two giant sleeves accompanied the razor sharp claws that were it's hand. It had a giant scarf that was rainbow colored that flowed around it. The ends of the scarf resembled hands, and one of them was holding a rainbow colored battle axe shaped keyboard guitar. Riding on top of it's head was a tiny robotic money with speakers for ears. The monkey was balancing a genie bottle with it's tail and also had an "A" inscribed on it's forehead. Finally, it's feet were like disco boots, but also resembled giant meat cleavers.
I am thou, thou art I. We shall cross the desert together, walking tall; not as false princes, but as true STREET RATS!
"I had no idea the artistic significance that a persona could have! It's astonishing with all of it's vibrant colors." Yusuke admired the look of Takuya's persona.
Ryuji rubbed his eyes, "Man, it's so colorful it's hurtin' my eyes!"
Takuya grabbed a glimpse of his persona and nodded, "I dare say, I approve!" He looked over to his brother, "And you! It's about time I start living my life on my own terms, but first, we're going to need to fix your heart!"
Shadow Junya growled and looked at his guards, "What are you lazy assholes doing?! Kill them!"
Takuya pointed forward, ready to fight, "You're going down!" He stomped his foot, "Destroy them, ALADDIN!"
And, there it is. Aladdin, the False Prince. The one that's most widely known as a Disney Prince. Let's face it, he's a thief, a virtuous one, but still a thief. He's perfect persona material! For the strength arcana, it's stated that personas of that arcana are beings with incredible resolve and willpower. A man like Aladdin has that in spades.
I hope you like his design. Here's where to find it again just to shove it even deeper down your throats.
DeviantArt - EmperorPsycho
Thanks for being so patient while I was dead!